US3791300A - Flare shell - Google Patents

Flare shell Download PDF

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Publication number
US3791300A
US3791300A US00286420A US3791300DA US3791300A US 3791300 A US3791300 A US 3791300A US 00286420 A US00286420 A US 00286420A US 3791300D A US3791300D A US 3791300DA US 3791300 A US3791300 A US 3791300A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
flare
sleeve
pressure plate
sleeves
parachute
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00286420A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
J Prochnow
W Simon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rheinmetall Industrie AG
Original Assignee
Rheinmetall GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rheinmetall GmbH filed Critical Rheinmetall GmbH
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3791300A publication Critical patent/US3791300A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B15/00—Self-propelled projectiles or missiles, e.g. rockets; Guided missiles
    • F42B15/36—Means for interconnecting rocket-motor and body section; Multi-stage connectors; Disconnecting means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
    • F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
    • F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
    • F42B12/56—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing discrete solid bodies
    • F42B12/58—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles
    • F42B12/62—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles the submissiles being ejected parallel to the longitudinal axis of the projectile

Definitions

  • the invention concerns a flare shell, from the base of the case of which an internal appliance, consisting of a drogue parachute, a main parachute and a flare set, is ejected by means of an ejection charge which detonates the flare set, the internal appliance first being brought to a low speed of flight by the drogue parachute, whereupon the main parachute unfolds and floats to earth with the flare set.
  • Flare shells stabilized by rifling and fins, as well as flare shells and flare bombs in which, after completion of a predetermined time or distance of flight, the useful charge consisting of a flare body is ejected are known. Because of the danger, associated with such shells and bombs, of the supporting parachute, ejected at high speed, being damaged as a result of wind forces suddenly acting on it, or that it may become unusable as a result of the holding straps being torn off, the drogue parachute, now introduced, has proved a valuable addition to the parachute system.
  • this comparatively small drogue parachute made of strong cloth and fitted with strong carrier straps, is that of reducing the speed of the ejected internal appliance of the shell to such an extent that the main parachute is able to unfold freely without the risk of damage, so as to float slowly to earth with the flare set.
  • the drogue parachute designed to resist high wind forces, naturally requires a large cavity in the shell and this means reduction of the usefull load. Therefore, in the case of a flare rocket, it has been proposed to use, instead of one drogue parachute, two small drogue parachutes which likewise unfold one after the other, but only occupy the packing space of a single drogue parachute. Also provided is a very complicated mechanism for opening the individual parachutes, which mechanism enables the various operations to take place in a precisely timed manner.
  • the internal appliance consisting of the flare body and the three parachutes, is ejected from the shell case by means of a powder charge detonated by a shell-like time fuse, the internal appliance'eing trapped by the first drogue parachute.
  • a hitherto locked detonating pin By means of a built-in rotor, which is started up when a predetermined minimum speed is reached, a hitherto locked detonating pin can cause a powder charge to be detonated, and this ejects the first drogue parachute together with the carrier plate and the rotor.
  • the second drogue parachute unfolds and in fact acts as an auxiliary parachute for further reducing the velocity of the flare body, but the main function of this second drogue parachute is to pull the main parachute out of the case in a reliable manner as a result of the tractive force imparted by the wind to said second drogue parachute. Since the various operations are initiated by time-responsive and speed-responsive detonators, it is possible to determine with some reliability the moment at which the main parachute comes into use.
  • An advantage of this system resides in the fact that the flare set begins to burn as soon as the ejection charge adjacent the flare set has left the shell case.
  • the object of which is so to improve a flare shell that the moment at which the internal appliance is ejected and the parachute opened can be accurately predetermined prior to firing the shell by the use of simple and robust means.
  • a further object of the invention is to enable said means to be used in the case of shells that are stabilized by means of rifling and fins, as well as in rockets.
  • this object is achieved by the main parachute and the flare set each being surrounded by a sleeve, the two sleeves being fitted one behind the other and a separable connection being provided between them, which connection is separable by means of a pressure plate bearing against the rim of the base of the sleeve for the main parachute, in that the pressure plate is acted upon by the compressed gases from a separating change detonated by way of delay means by the ejection charge.
  • a further feature of the invention is that the pressure plate, provided with an anchoring means for the main parachute, bears in the uninfluenced condition against a push-in cover disc sealing the sleeve for the flare set and is axially spaced from the cover disc by means of a plurality of spacer blots secured at the cover disc side, the arrangement being such that when the separating charge is detonated, the sleeve surrounding the main parachute is ejected by the pressure plate, but the latter continues to be concentrically guided on the turnedover rim of the cover disc.
  • a cavity is provided for receiving the separating charge between the push-in cover disc and the pressure plate which incorporates a bent-away portion in its median zone.
  • the separating charge can be detonated by a time fuse which is held by a detonating tube which extends centrally through the flare set and projects through a central orifice in the push-in cover disc.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a flare shell
  • FIG. 2- shows the flare shell after ejection of the internal appliance
  • FIG. 4 and show a connection between the flare set and the main parachute before and after the packing sleeve for the parachute has sprung open.
  • the flare shell the sleeve 1 of which is provided with a guide ring 1a for the purpose of stabilization by means of rifling, can, when fitted with the same internal appliance, also be used as a flare bomb or flare rocket or as a tin-stabilized shell.
  • the nose of the shell carries a time fuse 2 followed, along the axis of the shell, by an ejection charge 3 which is limited by a cover 4 which seals off the entire internal appliance.
  • This cover 4 which may be formed as a separate part or as the end closure for a sleeve 5 surrounding the flare set 6, has a central hole in which a detonating tube 8 containing a time fuse 7 is fitted.
  • the detonating tube 8 extends over the entire length of the flare set 6 and terminates in a hole in apush-in cover disc 9 which constitutes the second end closure for the sleeve 5 containing the flare set, the cover 4 being the other closure member for this sleeve.
  • the opening in the base of a parachute-packing sleeve 10 is surrounded by the turned over rim 9a of disc 9. A nonreleasable connection if formed between the turned-over rim 9a and the sleeve 5 for the flare set.
  • a pressure plate 12 which is loosely connected in the axial direction with said cover disc by a plurality of spacer bolts 13 screwed against said cover disc.
  • the shanks of the spacer bolts 13 which carry heads 130 are of such size that after the radial pins 1 1 have sheared, the packing sleeve 10 is ejected, but the pressure plate 12 is held to cover disc 9 by its turned-over rim 9a and by bolts 13.
  • a cavity 14 for receiving a separating charge 15 which is fitted immediately in front of the detonating tube 8 carrying the time fuse 7.
  • Screwed into the central hole in the pressure plate l2 is a carrier knob 16 in which all the carrier straps of a main parachute 17 are held in a bunch.
  • the main parachute l7 fills the sleeve 10.
  • a carrier knob 20 which holds the drogue parachute 21 accommodated in a relatively small cavity between the cover 18 and the base 1b.
  • the mode of operation is as follows:
  • the ejection charge 3 is detonated by a fuse or by a detonator pin.
  • the resultant gas pressure suffices to cause rearward ejection of the entire internal appliance including the base lb of the shell with those portions of the shellcase 1 where the fracture is intended to occur adhering to it;'thus, not only are the flare set 6 and the time fuse 7 in the detonating tube 8 detonated, but the drogue parachute 21 is able to unfold.
  • the entire internal appliance now hangs from the drogue parachute 21 which performs the function of considerably reducing the velocity derived 7 from the shell.
  • the flight time of the drogue parachute 21 is largely determined by the delay time of the fuse 7 in the detonating tube 8. This time is of such length that even when special atmospheric conditions are taken into account, the drogue parachute will have reached a relatively low velocity when the burning fuse 7 detonates the separating charge 15.
  • the gas pressure that builds up in the cavity 14 pushes the pressure plate 12 so far forward that the latter takes up a position in which, as show in FIG. 5, it is axially spaced from the push-in cover disc 9.
  • the bottom rim of the packing sleeve 10 is released when the radial pins 11 shear, so that the main parachute 17 is slowly extracted from its packing sleeve 10 by the weight of the flare set 6 hanging from the parachute. Careful release is further promoted by the fact that opening takes place on the leeward side.
  • the damage-preventing measures enable light parachute materials to be used, so that the main parachute 17 made thereof can be larger in size and can thus be made more efficient as regards its carrying power.
  • a flare shell having a casing containing an internal appliance comprised of a drogue parachute, a main parachute and a flare set ejectable from the base of the casing, and a fuse actuated ejection charge which detonates the flare set and ejects the appliance from the base of the casing, after which the internal appliance is first brought to a low speed of flight by the drogue parachute, whereupon the main parachute unfolds and floats to earth with the flare set, the improvement comprising:
  • a displaceable pressure plate positioned between said adjacent ends of said sleeves and bearing against one end of said first sleeve at the end thereof adjacent to one end of said second sleeve;
  • a separating charge for separating said sleeves positioned to exert an explosive force on said pressure plate in such a manner that said coupling means is released by the action of said pressure plate on said one end of said first sleeve under the pressure of gases generated by said separating charge to separate said sleeves;
  • time delay igniting means operatively associated with said separating charge for the ignition thereof and positioned within said casing in proximity to said ejection charge so as to be directly actuated by the detonation of said ejection charge, whereby the detonation of said ejection charge simultaneously ignites said flare set. ejects the double sleeve flare set and parachute unit from the shell casing to deploy the drogue chute and actuates said time delay igniting means for the subsequent ignition of said separating charge.
  • said pressure plate is positioned transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeves and has a carrier knob thereon to which said main parachute is attached;
  • a cover disc sealing the end of said second sleeve adjacent to said first sleeve end, said pressure plate being attached to said cover disc by spacer means permitting axial displacement of said pressure plate with respect to said disc along the longitudinal axis of said sleeves, whereby upon detonation of said separating charge, said first sleeve is separated and ejected by said pressure plate, which remains attached to said second sleeve.
  • said pressure plate is recessed to provide a cavity within which'said separating charge is contained between said pressure plate and said cover disc.
  • said separating charge is located between said adjacent ends of said sleeves; and said time delay igniting means comprises a time fuse contained within a detonating tube extending longitudinally through said flare set from a point adjacent said ejection charge to a point at the rear end of said flare set in proximity to said separating charge.
  • said spacer means comprises a plurality of spacer bolts extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeves from points within said first sleeve, through said pressure plate, to points of attachment to said cover disc, said spacer bolts being of predetermined length to permit the displacement of said pressure plate a sufficient distance along the longitudinal axis of said sleeves to release said coupling means, and thereby eject and separate said first sleeve.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
  • Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
US00286420A 1971-09-04 1972-09-05 Flare shell Expired - Lifetime US3791300A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2144400A DE2144400A1 (de) 1971-09-04 1971-09-04 Leuchtgeschoss

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3791300A true US3791300A (en) 1974-02-12

Family

ID=5818682

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00286420A Expired - Lifetime US3791300A (en) 1971-09-04 1972-09-05 Flare shell

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3791300A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2144400A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2155240A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1344786A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IL (1) IL40155A0 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2830224A1 (de) * 1977-09-02 1979-03-15 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Geschoss mit einer nutzlast
US4294172A (en) * 1978-06-02 1981-10-13 Diehl Gmbh & Co. Projectile with recoverable detonator
US4889053A (en) * 1987-02-18 1989-12-26 Rheinmetall Gmbh Projectile equipped with braking parachute
US5239927A (en) * 1991-07-25 1993-08-31 Rheinmetall Gmbh Deceleration device for submunition
US7360489B1 (en) * 2005-04-12 2008-04-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Non-lethal cargo projectile
US20190137246A1 (en) * 2016-04-06 2019-05-09 Bae Systems Bofors Ab Parachute device for a divisible shell

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2809109C2 (de) * 1978-03-03 1983-03-17 Brüggemann & Brand KG, 5802 Wetter Verfahren zum Packen und Verpacken eines Fallschirms
AU5397179A (en) * 1979-01-03 1984-08-09 Commonwealth Of Australia, The Cluster bomb
SE450972B (sv) * 1983-05-26 1987-09-07 Bofors Ab Anordning for utlosning av fallskermen vid fallskermsburen pyroteknisk laddning
ES2002925A6 (es) * 1986-11-26 1988-10-01 Esperanza & Cie Sa Granada para mortero de guerra
DE4303076A1 (de) * 1993-02-03 1994-08-11 Buck Chem Tech Werke Flugkörper
RU2365867C1 (ru) * 2008-02-07 2009-08-27 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Государственное научно-производственное предприятие "Базальт" Светящая авиационная бомба
RU2368865C1 (ru) * 2008-05-15 2009-09-27 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Федеральный научно-производственный центр "Научно-исследовательский институт прикладной химии" Осветительный или сигнальный выстрел для гранатомета
US10030953B2 (en) 2013-08-20 2018-07-24 Bae Systems Plc Illumination munition

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1365865A (en) * 1918-06-27 1921-01-18 Jaroslav A Svejda Illuminating-projectile
US2124876A (en) * 1936-03-20 1938-07-26 Jr Louis L Driggs Flare
US2342096A (en) * 1941-08-21 1944-02-15 Louis J Zimmerman Illuminating projectile
GB651935A (en) * 1947-11-07 1951-04-11 Bofors Ab Improvements in and relating to flares
US3038407A (en) * 1951-07-02 1962-06-12 Anthony E Robertson Drag operated parachute release mechanism
US3055300A (en) * 1956-04-06 1962-09-25 Stoehr Donald Rocket flare head
US3119298A (en) * 1960-08-04 1964-01-28 Hi Shear Corp Explosively separable fastener
US3362290A (en) * 1965-04-13 1968-01-09 Mc Donnell Douglas Corp Non-contaminating thrusting separation system
US3633456A (en) * 1969-07-03 1972-01-11 Mc Donnell Douglas Corp Power-actuated separation system

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1365865A (en) * 1918-06-27 1921-01-18 Jaroslav A Svejda Illuminating-projectile
US2124876A (en) * 1936-03-20 1938-07-26 Jr Louis L Driggs Flare
US2342096A (en) * 1941-08-21 1944-02-15 Louis J Zimmerman Illuminating projectile
GB651935A (en) * 1947-11-07 1951-04-11 Bofors Ab Improvements in and relating to flares
US3038407A (en) * 1951-07-02 1962-06-12 Anthony E Robertson Drag operated parachute release mechanism
US3055300A (en) * 1956-04-06 1962-09-25 Stoehr Donald Rocket flare head
US3119298A (en) * 1960-08-04 1964-01-28 Hi Shear Corp Explosively separable fastener
US3362290A (en) * 1965-04-13 1968-01-09 Mc Donnell Douglas Corp Non-contaminating thrusting separation system
US3633456A (en) * 1969-07-03 1972-01-11 Mc Donnell Douglas Corp Power-actuated separation system

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2830224A1 (de) * 1977-09-02 1979-03-15 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Geschoss mit einer nutzlast
US4294172A (en) * 1978-06-02 1981-10-13 Diehl Gmbh & Co. Projectile with recoverable detonator
US4889053A (en) * 1987-02-18 1989-12-26 Rheinmetall Gmbh Projectile equipped with braking parachute
US5239927A (en) * 1991-07-25 1993-08-31 Rheinmetall Gmbh Deceleration device for submunition
US7360489B1 (en) * 2005-04-12 2008-04-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Non-lethal cargo projectile
US20190137246A1 (en) * 2016-04-06 2019-05-09 Bae Systems Bofors Ab Parachute device for a divisible shell
US10458765B2 (en) * 2016-04-06 2019-10-29 Bae Systems Bofors Ab Parachute device for divisible shell

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2144400A1 (de) 1973-03-08
GB1344786A (en) 1974-01-23
IL40155A0 (en) 1972-11-28
FR2155240A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-05-18

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